Pressure to Diversify your Collection?

I don't know of this pressure, that you speak of. BTW, "hello", I'm Tinyflame and I think I want all of the dolls. Also, the statement I quoted sounds a little troubling. Running low on space is a common concern. "Less able to support the doll market" means something, I'm not sure what. I just hope the dolls you have so far are things you like. But, let's skip over that because "pressure not to keep buying from the same companies" is the thing that maybe we all can address in this thread.

I look at my collection and think things like, “you should really have more fantasy colors instead of plain old ns,”
Not "You should", but "would you like". But, if you really like a resin color for a sculpt then buy it. If they don't make that color, dye it. Here's my strange thing, I think that an artist that sculpts something with a color in mind looks different than an artist that sculpts and casts it as whatever color. I do want a red resin doll, but I'm hoping to find something that screams I'M RED before dying anything red. (I want the dolls in all colors too, sigh.) But, dying? I rather be happy with the sculpt before planning mods.

“you should support different artists, not just the same ones,”
What's wrong with having a favorite artist? Hopefully you can buy what you like, when it's available. Also, there's nothing wrong with refusing to buy from a certain artist or deciding to hybrid because you want a certain feel or quality for your dolls.

“you should try to find more diverse body types,”
The more body types, the more difficult it is to mix and match outfits with all of them. Are you satisfied with how your current dolls look and move? I think you're interested in broadening your P.O.V. and learn about more companies.

“you should go for more fantasy creature-type dolls rather than plain humans,”
I think, if you're thinking that, you are currently interested in creature-type dolls, but there's personal reasons why you are not buying them yet. Right? For example, you might be thinking "non-human sculpts might be harder to sell, if I don't like it".

“you should support artists who are trying to break the mold,”
Nice sentiment, but is that the sacrifice you want to make? Are you buying it to "seem trendy" or in hopes that "it'll grow on me" or are you settling because "you're a nice person"? I'm sorry that I'm at a loss on how to phrase things like that in a nicer way. I don't want to think of buying bjds as "buying a glass soda bottle with colored sand in it". I would hope that an artist would rather take a donation (maybe to help maintain a website for their art), then get their art discarded a month after being bought. Did you buy it over a another doll because YOU like it? Because the dolls last way longer than cars, I hear.

I didn’t even realize I was thinking these things until I got a body I *thought* I really wanted, had her in my collection for awhile, and realized she really wasn’t my taste at all— she just would’ve made my collection look more diverse. Which I really liked in theory, but not so much in practice because the doll just wasn’t actually my taste.

GREAT discovery! You are a step closer towards having a collection that satisfies you. I know that I'm still in the start phases of collecting. I've accepted that I, like most, may sell off EVERYTHING once they understand what satisfies them. I've heard of people who switched from SD to MSD because of issues handling the weight. And, people who switched from MSD to SD. Some switch to all fantasy. I've heard of a person who did not like how their tinies to SD dolls looked when they were all together (I guess looked sloppy), so she choose a size she liked and sold the rest. But for most, I think they choose some theme that makes them happy, YEARS after they started.

Spoiler: I'm rambling

But, realistically, I've put pressure on myself to figure out what I do like because of "wanting ALL of the dolls" and I haven't bought the same style of doll twice and so I really can't tell anyone what I actually like. I've annoyed people on this platform because of it. And, not knowing what you like makes this hobby more expensive than it needs to be.
DON'T BUY THINGS BECAUSE YOU'RE CURIOUS!!

I didn't! It's funny because I totally YOLO'd into this rabbit hole. (I know nothing about dolls.)

Yes, I'm still scratching my head at the world of collecting. But, the way I started out was super wrong and I'm sure it'll break me by next year. I've been having a tough time of refining because I'm not sure of where to mark "they need to be AT LEAST THIS CUTE to keep them, due to limited space".
I know that I'm not saying anything useful. My main problem is that I am pressuring myself to rush and figure out what kind of dolls I like. If the world of bjd is even something for me, that I like. And, I make a lot of dumb decisions, so you know I'm not criticizing you.

Ummmmm...yes, you SHOULD figure out what you would like to see in your collection. You shouldn't force yourself to make a museum to bjd. If you want to buy 10 of the exact same doll, do it. If you want a doll that looks like a Cheeto, do it. If you want the most popular doll ever made, do it. (But, do it because you love the sculpt, not because you can.)

And, it's okay to feel that "there's something missing".

 

So one of my other hobbies is D&D/general tabletop roleplaying games. I've played three different systems so far, a dozen different campaigns, and never played the same character twice. I always want to experiment with different classes, backstories, concepts, species, I always want to build my characters differently than last time. I certainly have favorite and least favorite classes/character types, but I like to change things up.

My dad, who has been playing since the 80s, is almost always playing the same thing: wood elf ranger. Sometimes he'll have an animal companion, sometimes not, but that's about as diverse as it gets. And here's the thing: we're both perfectly happy with this. Dad knows what he likes, which is playing his favorite thing. I know what I like, which is playing around with different things. If either of us wanted to change our play style, we could just do that, but there's no reason to force ourselves to do something we won't enjoy, because it's a game. It's a hobby. It's pretendy funtimes. Who wants to waste all that time playing a game and not having fun?

Dolls are a lot like that. Every hobby is, really. If you just want a bunch of one thing that you know you like, then do that. If you only want one single thing, do that. If you're like me and you want a bunch of weird stuff, do that. Dress and paint your dolls if you want. Dye and mod them if you want. Leave them unpainted and naked if you want. It's your money, it's your time, it's your house and/or your space that they'll be displayed in. No one else should get to tell you what you can or can't own.

I do get the pressure, though. There's a lot of pressure these days to be inclusive in art and creative spaces. More diverse characters in books, movies, shows, and comics, for example. I think that's where a lot of the ideas about diversity in hobby spaces come from. But there's a difference, here. A piece of media is made for public consumption. Media can help define the culture around it, help people relate to each other, and represent people who don't get to see others like them in media very often. Refusing to include a group in your media is considered "problematic" (though I think that word is overly used) because it encourages the upholding of an unfair status quo.

A collection, on the other hand, is not media for public consumption. Sure, you can share your photos and stories and whatnot online, but ultimately, this hobby is about collecting and customizing things. It's about physical objects that cost money. A lot of money. Money that you theoretically should be spending on things you enjoy, not things you think you have to have to be seen as... what, exactly? Morally pure? Ideologically correct? About... dolls? People who think of themselves as any better than others for which dolls they own are, frankly, wrong. As I said, a personal fun hobby is not "media", and there can be any number of reasons someone only has certain kinds of dolls. Maybe you just really want a bunch of the same thing (like my dad with the elf rangers). Maybe you're part of a particular group, and you don't think any dolls of that group are actually accurate or up to your standards. Maybe dolls of a certain group are more expensive, and you can't afford it. (These last two are the reasons I don't own any fat dolls, despite being fat myself.) The same goes for particular artists. You can't support every artist, that's unrealistic and unhealthy. Plus, there's any number of reasons you don't own any dolls from that particular person or company.

Is it great when artists produce diverse dolls? Absolutely! And they should keep doing it! But you don't have to buy them all in order to be a good person, or to do doll collecting "correctly", and you can't logistically support every single diverse doll.

tl;dr, do what you want forever

 

I pressure myself to diversify my collection only because I can't buy everything I fancy, but I learned that boundaries tend to limit my enjoyment. It is so difficult finding a balance between opposing needs! I would like to have more variety in body shapes and sizes, but my top priority is harmony, and my dolls have to look well together. I feel like I'm wasting money ordering sculpts that are too look-alike, but the heart wants what it wants. Decisions, decisions...

 

I used to feel a tad bit ashamed about only having dolls from "basic" (in the "assumed to be too popular/overhyped" sense) companies, but now that I've been in the hobby for a couple years I've realized I just like what I like. I have particular aesthetic tastes for doll body stylization and it's honestly hard to find other companies who have bodies sculpted in ways I really enjoy, even if the companies have head sculpts I love.

For other things, I don't really think there's much community pressure at all to collect different sculpt styles, resin colours, features etc actually? It seems to be pretty accepted that a lot of collectors tend to stick to one niche of their choosing, at least on DoA. I don't know if it's the same in the social sphere of public-facing social media accounts.

Personally I really want to shell a few OCs who would need different resin (or vinyl depending what route I go) colours than my current dolls, but I'm so picky, if it's not the exact right shade/colour it would bother me so much. Additional fantasy features (usually just ears or tails) would be needed for some too, which is different from my current human-only dolls, but I don't feel pressured to seek out anything outside of what would be needed to shell the characters I want. Maybe it's different for people who don't shell characters, though?
My only motivation for getting a doll is whether it can represent one of my OCs (or favourite canon characters) or not, but I'd imagine things might be different for someone who collects for other reasons!

 

I found this prompt to be really interesting and enjoyed reading everyone else's' responses! As for myself, I actually prefer my dolls looking alike. I enjoy a cohesive look among my dolls and dolls-to-be in terms of size, style, and shape. This occurred naturally and without a great amount of intention on my part. So I believe I fall into the camp that is the opposite of what the prompt suggests, I prefer my dolls to be alike possibly to share clothing, eyes, shoes, and being easy to style companions for photos. Unlike other posts, none of my dolls are original characters or have in depth backstories which could explain the indifference for similarity. Never thought of this before and appreciate the OP for bringing it up .

 

Can I just mention that I adore this phrasing? I love looking at it like a local ecosystem: biodiversity is important! We need lots of different species occupying the same area for the health of the environment! But that doesn't mean you're obligated to cultivate species you dislike or are allergic to in your yard, especially when there's other stuff that you do like.

I don't feel pressured to diversify my collection. Perhaps I did when I was new to the hobby (over a decade ago), and I've been tempted to do so many times over the years as various artists and fads have come and gone, but I generally know what I like and what I gel well with at this point. Frankly, this hobby is too expensive and the dolls I like are too big to just go around buying dolls I'm lukewarm on "just because" or "I feel like I should."

I like big dolls. I like human/human-adjacent dolls primarily, with some exceptions. I prefer normal/tan skin over other resin tones. I generally like the big-headed look rather than super realistic proportions. I'm content to live vicariously through other dolly owners for dolls outside of my niche that I know almost certainly that I wouldn't enjoy in real life, and that's okay!

 

I definitely agree with the sentiment: you can love a diverse range of dolls from a distance!
Some ways to support doll artists without buying might be showing their works to your friends and otherwise hyping up the releases with other collectors
If you're a social media person, comments, likes, shares on these dolls helps others to see their stuffs. So don't feel like your purchase alone will make or break a dollmaker that you want to stay in business.
Just to look and enjoy, even if ur not super social, u can check communities like this for people talking about buying the doll. You might get to enjoy their owner photos a few months later!

I do find I have diversity as a result of personal limits, which is a pressure I purposefully put on myself. I'm not a character collector, but I Too Love All The Dolls and am stressed by the idea of moving house with the number I already have. so when I adopt a new doll I try to ask myself what this doll has that I can't get from those I own there's just way too many beautiful and interesting dolls coming out all the time!!!! It's not my only restriction too. It's just one way of quantity management that happens to look diverse. I think it's not much different than choosing to collect from a certain sculptor, size, resin color or etc. to limit yourself.

Anyway, sometimes it does take a little trial and error to figure out what works for you and your collection. But I hope you or others reading won't feel shame in collecting more of the same of whatever it is that you love. It's your collection and your personal touch is what makes it special.

 

Nope, never had the issue (and my collection is pretty far from diversity despite the number of years I've been in the hobby). I love a very diverse range of dolls from all companies/artists, sizes, colors, shapes, you name it! I just don't necessarily see myself owning them all, I don't need to in order to appreciate their beauty.

I don't think it really matters what other people think about your collection, so long as you enjoy your dolls that's all that matters.
I get supporting a variety of artists but as an artist I wouldn't want people "supporting" me when don't truly like my work.
And it doesn't found very fun to pressure others to buy and own things they don't love anyway.

 

Only the taxman can make me spend money that I don’t want spending. Dolls cost a lot. Buying them just to support an artist would be a waste of my money and very possible somebody else really wants the doll that was bought because of some misunderstood obligation and never loved. We are all different, with different tastes for dolls too. So if we just get the dolls we each want the total picture will be diverse enough, just like we are. I wouldn’t go in details about what dolls make me wonder who the … wants that? If some artist makes dolls many people like and buy good for them. If another one makes dolls few people want that’s probably their food for thought. Or they make unique one of a kind expensive dolls. If they want to make dolls as “art for art sake” it’ s fine, they make them, enjoy them, but please don’t expect others to finance the hobby. Because that’s what it would be, a non paying hobby where you spend your money on. And it’s fine. There are people who make dolls because they enjoy the process. Maybe it will grow into a business, maybe it will stay a hobby. There is no need to convert everything you do into a money making enterprise. That’s what I call real diversity. No pressure.

 

I have never felt the need or motivation to acquire something I do not like; I do not like trends or buy what everyone has; my taste is personal, and I have my own ideas. BJD’s hobby is not cheap and takes up a lot of space, so personally, before acquiring something new, I think about it a lot, but without overwhelming myself. If I’m late for pre-order, that’s okay because there will be others later. The secret to keeping a hobby fresh is to take breaks when you lose motivation or feel overwhelmed. I’m not sure if this helps you or fits your question. Greetings.

 

My taste in BJDs is mostly considered old-school, as I'm always attracted to dolls with big eyes and anime-like facial proportions, or the older style of face-ups (like DoD or Crobi, etc.). I still appreciate how modern BJDs look nowadays. However, I don't love them as much as the former style of sculpting because... I feel like some dolls from Chinese companies are somewhat being sexualized in order to appeal to a broader audience. Of course, I have no problems with the companies or people who love them, it's just not my preference. I associate dolls (especially BJDs) with something very close and innocent from my childhood, so maybe that's also why I prefer old-school dolls, because looking at them always gives me a sense of nostalgia.

I'm just a newbie who joined the community last December, and to be honest, I do feel a lot of pressure now that my fourth dolls have arrived. I often end up feeling insecure about them, even when other people's dolls don't match my taste. I can't shake off the feeling that my dolls look outdated, even though I still love them deeply, especially my Doll Leaves Jeremy. I love him, but I sometimes feel like I should give him to someone else so I can buy dolls from more popular companies that most people in the community seem to own. He's still with me, though, because I'm fully aware that this feeling is just FOMO (fear of missing out), and I keep reassuring myself that I’m in this hobby not to chase trends, but to fulfill my own joy.

 

I have felt that kind of pressure too, when I began in the hobby. There wasn't that many colors or fantasy-themed dolls back then, but there were trends and certain companies that everyone seemed to love and I didn't see with the same adoration. I had only two human-like normal-skinned dolls with human backgrounds and clothing and, when I went to my first meetup, I was shamed by another hobbyist for having dolls from lesser-known companies.
Honestly, their rude attitude made me quickly believe that I was on the right track, cause I loved my dolls and also seeing others' dolls even if they weren't my style and would never tell another owner that their dolls are not enough or are ugly or boring.

Despite all that, I have never bought anything I didn't really want and hadn't thought about for a long time (lots of planning and budgeting mostly). My tastes have changed a lot through time, but I have continued to love seeing dolls I can't afford/don't see myself owning from a distance, that's why I joined IG and other platforms even though I don't share many pictures myself. I think following, loving and sharing pictures and news from companies or doll owners is a great way to show your appreciation for this hobby.

 

Luckily, I've never encountered pressure from other people to collect in a certain way. However, I do find myself assessing my collection for "gaps" (ie, do I have any 1/3 dolls, do I have male dolls, etc) and trying to limit myself when I come across dolls that are too similar to others I have in my collection. Aside from any outside pressure, I do feel torn between having what feels like a "cohesive" collection, and not having dolls that are too much alike or too many from one artist/company. (I guess I'd feel like I hadn't spent my money wisely if I have too many dolls that are too similar.)

I definately love @Yami_Hanako 's idea of enjoying pictures of dolls that aren't for me through Instagram! I've also found that going to meets is so fun partially because I get to enjoy a diversity of dolls that way, and see a lot that are really great, but just not a fit for my collection. (Also fun because I get to meet really cool people, of course!)

 

I definitely feel some pressure, but it's a different kind than you. Personally, I feel pressure to have my dolls have a more professional faceup, to not take photos of the same dolls over and over again, to pander more to mainstream tastes, the pressure to become a better photographer etc.

 

Back when I was active in this hobby, the idea of having a large collection overwhelmed me. My first doll ended up being a lot of work to be “complete” plus I like having some variety with outfits, wigs, shoes, etc for each doll. This kind of saved me from pressures to make my collection anything beyond what I could manage.

(even then, I had some heads that never had bodies, and some dolls that didn’t have much variety in items)

With that, if had stayed active and gradually acquired a doll or two each year over the past 15 years, I'd have absolutely have wanted variety, whether it was with size, skin tone, fantasy/non-fantasy, sex, realistic/stylistic, company, you get the idea.

Sometimes I liked how some people’s collections were from one brand. I’d see this most often with Volks or Soom, and it was cool seeing a collection look more cohesive, but I knew this kind of collection wasn’t for me personally. Trying to do this would make me feel like I was needlessly limiting myself.

I think it can be healthy to learn what suits you best while also recognizing the enjoyment you can also have through someone else.

 

I don't feel pressured to expand and add more variety to my collection. I don't own many dolls tho, but my wishlist keeps expanding.

I started in the hobby many years ago and thr hobby grew older with me. My taste and interests changed along the years and also the variety of possibilities also grew with the pass of the years; more companies, more experimental sculpts, resin colour, etc. This made me get out of what's the traditional idea of a doll and wanting to explore new things! At the moment I am interested in more fantasy colours because I keep seeing them and I just wonder "hey, why not? Sure it's fun to customise a blue or purple resin doll!"

Edit: I am an independent artist so I am more prone to find independent doll artists recently too. I am aware that many companies are still run by a small team, but I can't help to empathise with small doll makers!